


The Act

by Duganator01



Series: RWBY Oneshots [13]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Character Study, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, Jaune Arc-centric, Suicidal Thoughts, Yeah this is a sad one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29231022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duganator01/pseuds/Duganator01
Summary: Sometimes Jaune had to drop the act.Today, like most days, Jaune was watching the sunset. He leaned over the edge of the railing, his arms dangling off the edge, his cheek resting on the semi-sturdy metal.Sunsets were really calming. They helped Jaune think. But sometimes the gold of the sun and the red of the sky reminded him of… her hair. So he stopped thinking.(Set somewhere just before the Battle of Haven.)
Relationships: Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos
Series: RWBY Oneshots [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558006
Kudos: 20





	The Act

**Author's Note:**

> Hard times and sad times, and sometimes I have sad person hours and that means that Jaune gets sad boi hours

Sometimes Jaune had to drop the act.

He sat out on the balcony. It hung off the side of the rooms that Headmaster Lionheart had provided for them while they were staying in Mistral. His favourite part about it was that it faced the sunset, so whenever he could, Jaune liked to watch the sun stain the sky a million colours before finally dipping below the horizon.

It was sunset right now. The beautiful red gold light glistened off the windows of every house lining the city. It was surprisingly peaceful, considering they  _ were _ still in the middle of town. But they were on nearly the highest level, so the sounds of the passing life down below were dulled.

Today, like most days, Jaune was watching the sunset. He leaned over the edge of the railing, his arms dangling off the edge, his cheek resting on the semi-sturdy metal.

Sunsets were really calming. They helped Jaune think. But sometimes the gold of the sun and the red of the sky reminded him of…  _ her _ hair. So he stopped thinking.

Whenever the sky wasn’t so red, he would like to think. His eyes drifted downwards. Below their quaint living space was the street, and another below that, and another below that. There were always people bustling on the streets, no matter the time of day. It was kind of comforting to remember that. It was like he wasn’t always alone.

Below him was the street…

Jaune leaned back a little, straightening himself out. From this new stance he could see the tiny black metal that the builders and designers called a railing. It was so small, so thin. It would be so easy to fall over in the middle of a rooftop sparring match. Or trip over after a friendly but too-enthusiastic shove from one of his many much stronger friends.

Or jump over.

He stared at the black railing, stark against the sunset. The brilliant red of the sky and the deep gold of the sun. 

“...I know I’m going through a hard time right now.” Leaning out over a similar balcony, under dark velvety skies which didn’t need to be red and gold because she was already there with him. “But I’m not that depressed.” The dry chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes, the unspoken “yet,” the thought that maybe if _she_ wasn’t standing there then it wouldn’t be a “yet.”

Maybe… Jaune stood up. Maybe if he walked towards  _ her _ red and gold, maybe he could see her again. One step forward, and another, until one of his feet hit the bottom of the railing. He looked over the edge of the balcony. So many tiny cars lined the street today.

What is falling like? Jaune thought for a second.

He decided to stop thinking about it, like he didn’t think about most things. He’d fallen before, trapped in a metal box, through the red gold sky. It felt terrible.

Jaune snapped around, the heels of his sneakers scraping the cement of the balcony. He didn’t want to fall. Falling would bring up old memories, and Jaune didn’t like his memories. He sulked back inside, the sliding door slipping shut behind him.

Maybe falling wasn’t the right way to go. He glanced behind him. The golden stare of the sun through the glass felt like her eyes on him. Disappointed, sad, upset. Designed to make him feel guilty without ever even trying.

Jaune blinked.

Nothing. There was nothing.

Of course there was nothing, he thought to himself, chuckling lightly. Why would there be anything? He caught himself staring at the color of the sunset and he prayed that nobody else saw. He closed his eyes, and whipped his head back around.

Nothing. There was nothing.

Jaune went back to the act.


End file.
